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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
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Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
Published on: August 17, 2018
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A crossmodal role for audition in taste perception.
1Department of Food Science.
Summary
Airline cabin noise significantly alters taste perception. Sweet taste intensity decreased, while umami taste perception increased, suggesting a link between hearing and taste via the chorda tympani nerve.
Area of Science:
- Sensory science
- Crossmodal perception
- Auditory-gustatory interactions
Background:
- Taste perception is influenced by other senses like smell and touch.
- Auditory stimulation's effect on taste remains under-explored.
- Airline cabins present a unique environment for studying food quality under noise conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of broad-spectrum auditory stimulation, simulating airline cabin noise, on the perception of basic tastes.
- To explore potential crossmodal interactions between audition and gustation.
Main Methods:
- 48 participants completed a crossover experiment.
- Participants tasted solutions of 5 prototypic tastants at various concentrations.
- Taste intensity was rated under normal conditions and during simulated airline cabin noise (over 85 dB).
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found for salty, sour, or bitter taste intensity.
- Sweet taste intensity was rated lower under auditory stimulation.
- Umami taste perception was augmented under auditory stimulation, with intensity increasing with concentration.
- No differences were observed in tactile, visual, or auditory stimulation ratings, or reaction times.
Conclusions:
- Auditory stimulation, specifically airline cabin noise, selectively modulates taste perception.
- Sweet taste is suppressed, while umami taste is enhanced by auditory noise.
- The mechanostimulation of the chorda tympani nerve is a potential mechanism for these observed effects.
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